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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · chip · wave · snap · cue · mark · lie · bowl

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mark — a grade
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cue — a signal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fork — in a road
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. snap — to click
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chip — for betting
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mark — a trace

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com